Name: Derek Gripper & Ballake Sissoko
Start: 2025-02-01T19:30:00-08:00
Location: 2501 E College Way, Mount Vernon, WA, United States, Washington 98273

Malian virtuoso Ballaké Sissoko has taken over the mantle of greatest touring virtuoso on the kora. Ballaké is a seminal improviser with an ability to unlock every possible nuance on the kora with subtleties rarely heard on any instrument.
Derek Gripper is a classical guitarist from South Africa whose love of the kora set him transcribing and recording some of the greatest works of the instrument and starting a twenty year career performing this music all over the world, changing the face of classical guitar and giving the instrument its very first African repertoire. Gripper has uniquely brought together the complex melodies of the West African kora and the classical guitar, a process showcasing not only his exceptional skill, but also his respect for different cultural traditions.